Csuhta captures PBA South Senior Open at Paradise Lanes

Ohio native wins tense final match

Dale Csuhta won the PBA South Region Spartanburg Senior Open on Sunday at Paradise Lanes.

TIM KIMZEY/tim.kimzey@shj.com

By Leon G. RussFor the Herald-Journal

Published: Sunday, February 17, 2013 at 9:32 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, February 17, 2013 at 9:32 p.m.

When Dale Csuhta stepped onto the boards for the 10th frame of the second match en route to winning the PBA South Region Spartanburg Senior Open on Sunday at Paradise Lanes, he knew he had an opportunity to close out the contest against southpaw Gary Morgan.

Photo Galleries

Morgan couldn't bear to watch. He put his head down as Csuhta stepped on to the lane. Csuhta asked for a re-rack, then knocked down a strike to pull within one pin of Morgan.

On his next throw, Csuhta headed down the lane on his approach and abruptly stopped. He headed back to regroup for his next ball. Another strike would nearly seal the deal.

Csuhta sent his ball down the lane, striking the pocket and scattering the pins. All but the 10 pin fell.

He covered the 10 pin but that solid pin pushed the final match into a third and deciding game as Morgan survived 181-180.

“There was a piece of gravel on my shoe, and once you start thinking about that you've got to stop,” said Csuhta, a native of Wadsworth, Ohio.

He said it didn't affect his concentration. “I just yanked up on the shot and pulled it left. I just made a bad shot.”

Morgan was relieved to get the opportunity to get back on the lanes.

“I thought I was done,” he said. “We were both struggling and I made a couple shots in the 10th.”

Morgan managed two strikes and a 9 count in his 10th frame to pull out the win. The third frame of the final match proved to be the pivotal moment of the day.

When Csuhta's ball went in high, leaving a 7-10 split, it enabled Morgan to race out to a 22-pin lead.

The split led to Csuhta making a ball change in the fourth, and that made all the difference in the world.

“I really didn't do anything with the ball I was using,” Csuhta said. “I figured if I didn't change he (Morgan) was going to win.”

He proceeded to strike with his next seven tosses before leaving one pin on his second ball in the 10th that he would cover to close out with a spare and a 234-195 win, capturing the Dave Edwards Toyota Spartanburg Senior Open.

Morgan never thought of changing balls in the final match.

“I just needed to make better shots,” he said. “I threw more bad shots in these three games than I did the entire weekend.”

Csuhta took the first game 206-190, dropped the second 181-180, and took the title with his 234-195 performance in the final match. It was Csuhta's eighth Senior Open tournament win in his four years of touring.

Csuhta walked away with the tournament trophy and $1,800 while Morgan, of Atlanta, took home $1,000 for his second-place finish.

Morgan had a higher tournament average than Csuhta, 225.65 to 222.43 but Csuhta finished 9-4 to Morgan's 8-4.

This was the fourth year the South Region Spartanburg Senior Open was held at Paradise Lanes.

The top finisher from Spartanburg was Todd Haney, who came in 17th and pocketed $425 in prize money. Moore's Larry Felts finished 20th and took home $400, while Carl Breaman of Greer finished 25th and Spartanburg's Archie Means came in tied for 34th out of the 68 bowlers who participated.

<p>When Dale Csuhta stepped onto the boards for the 10th frame of the second match en route to winning the PBA South Region Spartanburg Senior Open on Sunday at Paradise Lanes, he knew he had an opportunity to close out the contest against southpaw Gary Morgan.</p><p>Morgan couldn't bear to watch. He put his head down as Csuhta stepped on to the lane. Csuhta asked for a re-rack, then knocked down a strike to pull within one pin of Morgan.</p><p>On his next throw, Csuhta headed down the lane on his approach and abruptly stopped. He headed back to regroup for his next ball. Another strike would nearly seal the deal.</p><p>Csuhta sent his ball down the lane, striking the pocket and scattering the pins. All but the 10 pin fell.</p><p>He covered the 10 pin but that solid pin pushed the final match into a third and deciding game as Morgan survived 181-180.</p><p>“There was a piece of gravel on my shoe, and once you start thinking about that you've got to stop,” said Csuhta, a native of Wadsworth, Ohio.</p><p>He said it didn't affect his concentration. “I just yanked up on the shot and pulled it left. I just made a bad shot.”</p><p>Morgan was relieved to get the opportunity to get back on the lanes.</p><p>“I thought I was done,” he said. “We were both struggling and I made a couple shots in the 10th.”</p><p>Morgan managed two strikes and a 9 count in his 10th frame to pull out the win. The third frame of the final match proved to be the pivotal moment of the day.</p><p>When Csuhta's ball went in high, leaving a 7-10 split, it enabled Morgan to race out to a 22-pin lead.</p><p>The split led to Csuhta making a ball change in the fourth, and that made all the difference in the world.</p><p>“I really didn't do anything with the ball I was using,” Csuhta said. “I figured if I didn't change he (Morgan) was going to win.”</p><p>He proceeded to strike with his next seven tosses before leaving one pin on his second ball in the 10th that he would cover to close out with a spare and a 234-195 win, capturing the Dave Edwards Toyota Spartanburg Senior Open.</p><p>Morgan never thought of changing balls in the final match. </p><p>“I just needed to make better shots,” he said. “I threw more bad shots in these three games than I did the entire weekend.”</p><p>Csuhta took the first game 206-190, dropped the second 181-180, and took the title with his 234-195 performance in the final match. It was Csuhta's eighth Senior Open tournament win in his four years of touring.</p><p>Csuhta walked away with the tournament trophy and $1,800 while Morgan, of Atlanta, took home $1,000 for his second-place finish.</p><p>Morgan had a higher tournament average than Csuhta, 225.65 to 222.43 but Csuhta finished 9-4 to Morgan's 8-4.</p><p>This was the fourth year the South Region Spartanburg Senior Open was held at Paradise Lanes.</p><p>The top finisher from Spartanburg was Todd Haney, who came in 17th and pocketed $425 in prize money. Moore's Larry Felts finished 20th and took home $400, while Carl Breaman of Greer finished 25th and Spartanburg's Archie Means came in tied for 34th out of the 68 bowlers who participated.</p>